A new study shows that Facebook encourages users to look for information which confirms their beliefs, and to ignore conflicting evidence.<\/p>\n
The study,\u00a0The spreading of misinformation online<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0found that the availability of user-provided content in social media facilitates the aggregation of people around common interests and narratives.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, the Web also allows for the rapid dissemination of unsubstantiated rumours and conspiracy theories that often elicit rapid, large, but naive social responses,\u201d the study said.<\/p>\n It was also found that consumers of scientific and conspiracy stories on Facebook present similar consumption patterns with respect to content.<\/p>\n \u201cHomogeneity appears to be the primary driver for the diffusion of contents, and each echo chamber has its own cascade dynamics.\u201d<\/p>\n In summary, the study found that Facebook is a place where like-minded people form small communities, and\u00a0conspiracy theories and other baseless information is easily spread.<\/p>\n Biggest Facebook topics of 2015<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Mark Zuckerberg to take off from Facebook for paternity leave<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on Facebook<\/h3>\n